We all know that adequate exercise and a good diet plan are the only two things you need to lose weight. But have you ever given it a thought that which is more important? Imagine a busy day where you only have time to cook a healthy meal for yourself or go on a jog. Which would be your priority? Well, we are here to clear these doubts and ensure that you have your priorities set right when you leave this page.
What is Weight Loss?
This seems to be a silly thing to answer as the name suggests the meaning, but did you know about 70% of the people get this wrong? If you assume weight loss is all about losing a few pounds as you weigh yourself on the scale weekly, this is absolutely a misconception. The true meaning of weight loss is fat loss and muscle gain. Your weighing scale cannot give you a measurement of that. You need to either check your body composition analysis (BCA) or use a measuring tape to note down inch loss. So hereafter, we will not use the word weight loss. Instead, we will use the terms- losing fat or getting healthy.
The Importance of Diet:
You are what you eat. Your body composition is highly affected by your diet plan. To lose weight, your food should be balanced, contain nutrients, and help lose weight and gain muscle. This does not mean you only go on a protein rice diet which avoids carbs. Carbohydrate is also an essential part of your meal, but limit your carb intake for becoming healthy. This will help in losing fat and getting healthier faster.
The Importance of Exercise:
Exercise is again another element that helps to lose fat in your body. Healthy people are often seen in gyms working out or engaging in any other form of physical activity. Workout definitely helps to burn calories, reduce fat, and gain muscles. The critical thing to note here is you should do the right kind of workout to become healthy. Just a cardio workout will help in losing fat, but you will not gain muscle. This means your body will not look toned. You need a combination of cardio and strength training to lose more fat and gain muscle. Know more about the most effective exercises by reading Gymnation Blog.
Diet vs. Exercise:
Now, as you have understood each term individually, let us compare which is more effective. When you eat unhealthy food but continue to work out rigorously, you will notice not many changes in your body. This is because of your eating habits. On the other hand, you can still successfully lose fat by eating healthy and moderately staying active. Studies indicate that 70% of fat loss happens with the help of a healthy diet and 30% depends on exercise. This clearly showcases that diet is more important than working out if you want to get healthy and fit.
The Bottom Line:
Though diet is clearly the winner here, that does not mean you ignore exercise. Exercising has so many more benefits, including improvement of your mental health. Also, an active lifestyle can help you stay healthier. You need not work out in a gym for 2 hours every day. Working out for an hour thrice a week, along with an active lifestyle, is more than enough to stay healthy if you are on a balanced diet plan.
